| Lebanon ((ar)لبنان) | |
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| The temple of Jupiter in Baalbek | |
| Flag | |
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| Information | |
| Capital city | Beirut |
|---|---|
| Altitude | Between 0 and3 089 m |
| Area | 10 452 km² |
| Population | 6 100 075 hab. () |
| Density | 583,63 inhab./km² |
| Nice | Lebanese |
| Official language | Arab |
| Other languages | French, English |
| Change | Lebanese pound (LBP) |
| Electricity | 110-220 V/50 Hz, English, European and Italian plugs |
| Telephone prefix | 961 |
| Internet suffix | .lb |
| Flow direction | Right-hand drive |
| Spindle | UTC 2 |
| Location | |
 33 ° 50 ′ 0 ″ N 35 ° 46 ′ 0 ″ E | |
| Touristic site | |
The Lebanon, in long form the Lebanese Republic, is a country of Middle East bordered to the west by the Mediterranean Sea, and bordering the Syria to the northeast andIsrael South.
Understand
Geography
Weather
History
Population
Holidays and public holidays
Regions
Lebanon can be divided into five regions:
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Cities
Romanized Arabic names are specified in parentheses.
- 1 Beirut – The capital
- Baalbek - in the valley of the Bekaa ; Greco-Roman ruins classified as Unesco heritage
- Beiteddine - Palace of Bachir Chehab II
- Byblos (Jbeil) - one of the oldest cities in the world; Roman site, Crusader castle, venue for concerts and international festivals.
- Jounieh – twin city of Beirut; beaches and nightclubs
- Sidon (Saïda) - third city of the country, in South Lebanon; many medieval remains
- Tripoli (Trablous) - second city of the country, capital of North Lebanon; souks and citadel of the Crusaders
- Tyr (Sour) - in South Lebanon; many ancient sites listed in Unesco heritage
To go
Formalities
Visas
 | Visa restrictions: The entry visa to Lebanon will be systematically refused to any citizen ofIsrael and to any traveler presenting proof of passage through Israel. These include not only entry stamps into Israel but also exit stamps from Egypt and Jordan at the land borders with Israel, airline tickets, Hebrew-denominated invoices, etc. |
Citizens of many Western countries (including Belgium, the Canada, the France, the Swiss), for tourist visits only, are granted a free one-month visa, renewable up to three months, upon arrival at the airport or land borders.
For more information, see the General Security website [1].
By plane
- At Beirut International Airport
On a boat
- At the port of Beirut
By bus
To reach Lebanon by coach, lines exist connecting the main cities of Lebanon to the main cities of Syria, of Jordan and of Turkey. The cities of Lebanon are connected by a fairly dense bus network, centralized in Beirut.
By car
Since the Syria (from the east from Damascus or north from Al-Laziqiyya). Borders with Israel have been closed since 1948.
Circulate
By taxi
Taxis in Lebanon fall into three categories:
- Taxis operating according to the French concept of a taxi (with all the class that goes with it).
- Taxis without meter.
- Taxis "service".
European taxis
These taxis are taxis on demand. You have to call the number of the taxi company and ask for a taxi for a specific trip or for the day. The price is determined either by a meter (as for taxis in France) or before the race by agreement between the driver and the customer.
Taxis without meter
This type of taxi crisscrosses the streets in search of a client or waits for clients at the exit of nightclubs or movies. They offer you the ride and set the price depending on the route to be taken. In general the price of the race is 2000 LL (1 € nearly). However, they often try to rip off the tourist; stand firm. For long runs, you may need to negotiate trips at 3000 (tletta alf in Arabic) or "double serve" at 4000.
Collective taxis
Taxi called "service". A car stops, honks a little sharp blow and calls out to you: "La wein istez!" (Where are you going, sir?). You tell him, and if it suits him, he takes you there. The race is often done with several people. The driver chooses the best route to take all his customers where they want to go. The fixed price is 2000 LL per person (1 €). The price can change at the driver's request, but never without the customer's approval. In reality, these taxis, commonly called "service", travel on pre-determined routes. If they don't go where you want to go, ask the driver how to do it. An easy way to tell if the honking you hear is a call from the driver of a "service", be aware that taxis (whatever their categories) have a state license which is indicated by a red number plate (not white like any car). For some trips, "service" drivers will ask you to pay for two trips ("service ein" = double service). If you want to be sure that you will not pay double (4,000 LL), specify it before getting in the taxi: "wahad service" = a "service".
By bus
A fairly large and fairly well organized bus network exists in Lebanon. It connects city districts (especially in Beirut) but also Lebanese cities between them. They are inexpensive: an example Beirut-Baalbeck: 5000 L (approximately 4 $ US or 2,5 €)
By car
Road signs meet international standards.
The road network is constantly improving. Since the war, almost all of the infrastructure has been rebuilt or in a state of reconstruction. But despite everything, driving in Lebanon remains a real adventure and joining the traffic requires impeccable attention. The highway code is very little respected and it will take a few more years before the police will give tickets to the offenders ... An example: traffic lights are optional. It feels like a video game, be careful, but don't forget to have fun!
Speed limits in force:
- Route: 100 km / h
- City : 50 km / h
Speak
The official language in Lebanon is Arabic (to be differentiated from Lebanese Arabic or the oral dialect of the Lebanese). You will also find people who speak Armenian within the Armenian community in Lebanon. However, a tourist in Lebanon never gets lost, a majority of Lebanese get by, even speak fluently French and also English which is also widely used. In everyday life, it is common to hear a Lebanese use the three languages at the same time in the same sentence without this being able to shock. All the signs are written in Arabic and in French or English.
Buy
Change
The official currency is the Lebanese pound (abbreviated as LL, £ L, LBP). However, the US dollar is common currency. You can pay in dollars or pounds and have dollars or pounds in return. The Lebanese pound has experienced a lot of fluctuations but has been changing for several years now at a rate of 1 $ = 1500 LL approximately. Prices are inclusive of all taxes (TTC). So no surprises when you checkout. Euros can also be used, but less frequently than US dollars.
Credit card
ATM machines are present everywhere in large cities, generally near banks. They accept most foreign credit cards. But this method of payment is not yet very generalized in Lebanon, especially with small resellers. You can, on the other hand, use it freely in all large commercial areas. Recommended are ABC (located in Dbayeh and Achrafieh), City Mall (located in Dora) and Le Mall (in Dbayeh).
Eat
The most famous Lebanese dish is undoubtedly the mezze, which is in fact a collection of many small dishes in which we "nibble". Among Lebanese cuisine, we can mention:
- Kebbé (minced meat with bourghoul),
- Taouk (grilled chicken) with toum (garlic sauce)
- Lahmé mechwiyyé (grilled meat)
- Homos Bittehiné (mashed chickpeas and sesame),
- Leben (or Labné) (cheese / yogurt from fermented laban)
- Baba Ghannouje (eggplant and sesame puree),
- Lahm Bi-Aajine (Lebanese meat-based pizza),
- Man'ouché (Lebanese pizza made with thyme, cheese ...),
- Tabbouleh (made from parsley), (Nothing to do with tabbouleh which is sold in supermarkets in France and Canada)
- the Fatouche (salad with baked pita bread, variety of fresh vegetables, spices, etc.),
- Wara's arichs (stuffed vine leaves)
- Sanbousiks (fried dumplings stuffed with meat)
- Chanklich (spicy cheese served with diced tomatoes and onions).
- Kafta (minced meat with parsley, cracked wheat and chopped onion).
- Bzourates (roasted nuts and seeds)
Have a drink / Go out
It is especially at Beirut that the nightlife is the liveliest. For nightclubs, choose the city center or Monot Street in the Achrafieh district. For good music and a quiet drink, head to rue Gemmayzé or finally discover the small, very intimate pubs and restaurants of the Hamra district.
A few kilometers north of Beirut, Jounieh has been transformed recently to ensure a kind of visible mutation in the development of its nightlife, simple and welcoming. For several years, fifty-five bars have opened their doors in Jounieh, including no less than fifteen in 2012. Along the main street of the old town, the terraces are linked, the public is varied and the atmosphere friendly.
Further north on the coast, at 40 min of Beirut, the small town of Batroun also offers a good alternative to effervescence at night.
Housing
There are several hotels in Beirut, and in the main cities of the country.
Learn
The Lebanese education system is well developed.It is very inspired by the French system, most of the scientific courses (maths, physics, chemistry, biology) being done in this language.We still pass the certificate in third class, and the Lebanese baccalaureate Several people also take the French baccalaureate on the one hand, the TOEFL and the SAT on the other hand in order to join Lebanese universities or to study abroad.
Lebanese universities are well renowned in the Arab world. The Lebanese University (UL) is the only public academic institution in Lebanon. It is constantly evolving, and new sections, faculties and institutes are being developed.There are, in Lebanon, several French-speaking and English-speaking private universities, for example the American University of Beyrouth (AUB), where courses are held. taught exclusively in English, including Saint-Joseph University (USJ) and Holy Spirit University of Kaslik (USEK), giving courses in French to train engineers (ESIB) and doctors (FM) About ten other universities were founded. Most are concentrated in Beirut or its region.
To work
security
 | Emergency telephone number: Police :112 Ambulance:140 Firefighter :172 |
Lebanon poses no security problem; the people are very courteous. The Lebanese people are extraordinary and very cultured. From the countryside to Beirut, you will find an irreproachable welcome and a sense of hospitality. Walking around Beirut at night poses no safety concerns, even for a single woman.
However, be careful in the east of the country, close to the Syrian border.
Government travel advice
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Belgium (Federal Public Service Foreign Affairs, Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation) 
Canada (Government of Canada) 
France (Ministry of Foreign Affairs) 
Swiss (Federal Department of Foreign Affairs)
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Health
The compulsory vaccines are the same as those imposed in France; on the other hand, tap water may or may not be drinkable, in this case there are two taps: One provides non-drinkable water (it can be used for brushing teeth, taking a shower or for any other purpose), the other ensuring potable water that can be consumed.
Respect
Ramadan date
Majority of Muslims insist on local sighting of the crescent moon to mark the start of Ramadan, but others insist on calculating the new moon or declaring it saudi to determine the start of the month. Since the first crescent after the new moon is not visible everywhere at the same time, the start and end dates of the month depend on what is visible in each location. Therefore, the dates vary from country to country, but usually only one day. |
Respect customs and religions. The religious question in Lebanon is sensitive, especially since the political system is divided by denominations.
Communicate
You will find telephone booths everywhere that recommend "Télécarte" and "Kalam" cards.
